Power wrap roller

ABSTRACT

A roller assembly for pre-tensioning elastic band material that is subsequently wrapped around the knees of a power lifter to provide support and reduce the risk of injury.

[0001] This application is a continuation of Provisional Application No. 60/359,057 filed Feb. 22, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] This invention relates generally to wraps used by weight lifters to protect their knees from injury, and more particularly to a device for rolling the wraps to a consistent tension prior to wrapping the lifters' knees.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In the sport of power lifting, bands of elastic material are wrapped around the lifters' knees to reduce the risk of knee injury while lifting weights. To be useful, the wraps must be wound tight around the knee to provide the necessary support.

[0004] To enable tight wrapping of the knee, the elastic bands are first wound into a tight roll by tensioning the band and rolling it by hand. Once in a tight roll, the lifters simply unroll the band around their knees. The pre-tensioned bands are thus able to provide the desired knee support. Once a lift is complete, the knees are unwrapped for comfort and blood circulation. For each lift, the pre-tensioning and wrapping processes must be repeated.

[0005] The pre-tensioning of the wrap band is typically done by the lifter, who holds one end of the band high above the head while stepping on the other end to tension the band. The band is rolled from the first end to the second end. To maintain a high degree of tension in the band, the lifter's fingers must hold the band tightly while simultaneously rolling the wrap. This can be difficult at best, and saps energy and strength that are better saved for the competitive lifting of weights.

[0006] Thus, what is needed is a consistently pre-tensioned knee wrap that does not require the lifters to unnecessarily expend energy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides an apparatus and method for pre-tensioning power lifter knee wraps with little effort. The present invention also enables knee wraps to be rolled to a consistent tension that provides optimal support regardless of who pretensions the roll.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention, and having a partially wrapped roll disposed thereon.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the power wrap roller of FIG. 1 with a completely wrapped roll disposed thereon.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of roller assembly frames for the power wrap roller of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 4 is one embodiment of a crank handle for use in the invention.

[0012]FIG. 5 is a side view of the crank handle of FIG. 4.

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a frame with an alternate embodiment of a crank handle.

[0014]FIG. 7 is a side view of the crank handle of FIG. 6.

[0015]FIG. 8 is a side and end view of a rod for use in the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 9 is a pair of side views of a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 10 is a side and top view of a base plate for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 11 is a side and top view of a base plate and sleeve weldment for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 12 is a side and end view of a rod bearing for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0020]FIG. 13 is a side and end view of an internally threaded coupling for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 14 is a shroud end plate for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 15 is a flat layout, top view, and two end views of a shroud frame for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 16 is a side and end view of a rod for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 17 is a side view of a cranking rod with an annular groove for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0025]FIG. 18 is a side and end view of a rubber hose section (or sleeve) for use in a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0026]FIG. 19 is a side and end view of a pin for use in a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0027]FIG. 20 is a side view of a pipe for use in a base for a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0028]FIG. 21 is a side view of a plate for use in a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0029]FIG. 22 is a retaining ring for a crank handle for use in a power wrap roller in accordance with the present invention.

[0030]FIG. 23 is a top, side, and end view of a roller assembly in accordance with the present invention.

[0031]FIG. 24 is a top, side, end and flattened sheet view of a shroud in accordance with the present invention.

[0032]FIG. 25 is a top, side, and end view of a shroud weldment in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] One embodiment of the present invention includes, a stainless steel roller assembly for rolling 3″ wide knee wraps used by powerlifters. The unit uses a ⅝″ square tube weldment on the shaft of a rotatable handle in conjunction with a series of closely spaced rods to provide a consistent stretching action and a tightly wound wrap. The tube weldment slipped over a handle shaft can be used as a core for each rolled wrap, but it is reusable once the elastic wrap is used on lifters' knees.

[0034] One or more stainless steel roller assemblies are mounted on a housing or shroud weldment. A roller assembly can have a 0.075 inch stainless steel for its housing or shroud. A stainless steel, ½″ diameter round rotatable handle with a milled end is supported by two bronze bearings in the housing.

[0035] Each roller assembly also includes a ⅝″ square stainless steel tube disposed over the handle shaft and on which the wrap is rolled. The tube preferably includes a {fraction (3/16)}″ pin through a tube welded on both sides to slide over the end of a milled notch on the handle. This is what drives the tube weldment and prevents it from slipping relative to the handle.

[0036] There are three stainless steel tensioning rods mounted on the housing and used in each roller assembly. Two parallel 1″ stainless steel round rods are mounted in slotted holes on the side of the housing. A third rod of ½″ stainless steel with a rubber hose (sleeve) material pressed over it also runs parallel to the other two rods. This narrower rod is mounted next to the 1″ rods. These rods are positioned as seen in FIG. 1 to cause the elastic wrap to drag as it is rolled toward the tube weldment to thus tension the wrap.

[0037] As one end of wrap is started around the series of rods as depicted in FIG. 1, it is pulled up to the tube weldment that is pushed all the way onto handle shaft. The handle and tube weldment preferably rotate in one direction only so that the wrap does not unwind. After one end of the wrap is pulled up to the tube weldment, it is started around ⅝″ square tube and a user starts cranking the handle.

[0038] The elastic wrap passes around the tube and follows through the series of rods resulting in a tightly rolled wrap. As the user is cranking the handle with one hand, the other hand guides the wrap from the side to keep the wrap rolling straight onto the tube weldment. Other forms of lateral guides are possible for inclusion in the device, such as radial side plates, for example.

[0039] When the end wrap is approaching the roller assembly, the user will put one hand on the rolled wrap to keep it from unwinding. A tight rubber band is put around the wrap to prevent it from unwinding while in a storage tray before use by a lifter.

[0040] A number of operators can roll wraps at the same time because a housing of a preferred embodiment includes at least two of the above-described roller assemblies. Two roller assemblies are mounted on housing assembly that is formed at 120 degree angle from horizontal to allow a comfortable start of the wrapping process and turning the handle on the roller assembly.

[0041] To provide a stand on which the housing can sit, one 2″ coupling is welded to the underside of the housing and one 2″ coupling is welded to a base plate. A 42″ long black pipe (2″ diameter) is used between the housing assembly and the base assembly to create a comfortable operating height. The base assembly can be made of two stacked ¼″ HRS×20″ diameter plates to support the complete unit.

[0042] Other embodiments can omit the base and simply rest on the floor or a table.

[0043] The unit depicted in the drawings preferably can be disassembled into three pieces for easy transport. 

1. A knee wrap roller comprising: a frame; a handle rotatably joined to the frame; a shaft operatively joined to the handle and adapted to receive a knee wrap; and a pair of wrap rods rotatably joined to the frame and adapted for receiving therebetween a knee wrap, whereby a knee wrap connected to the shaft and extending between the wrap rods will be tensioned as it is wrapped around the shaft when the handle is rotated.
 2. A knee wrap roller comprising: a frame; a handle rotatably joined to the frame; a shaft operatively joined to the handle and adapted to receive a knee wrap; and a wrap tensioner adapted to apply tension to a knee wrap as the handle is rotated to roll the wrap onto the shaft. 